Tuesdays
by leey
Summary: Maybe dates on Tuesdays were just irregular. Seto/Jou
1. Inbetween Notes

AN: Hey guys, another chapter of Tuesdays. I feel Kaiba gets OOC in this one. (Don't I say that about every chapter? lol) Anyways, just enjoy reading, and have a good day!

* * *

**Tuesdays**  
_Inbetween Notes (The First Confession)_

* * *

"I like that."

"What?"

"The sound of your piano." Jounouchi walked over to the great grand piano, itself contained in an more or less empty room. Solely, and only for the piano. He felt a bit awkward walking over towards Kaiba, the distance between them so vast that it was frightening. Maybe it was just the way the room had seemed to him, for a single piano placed in such a room was out of the ordinary. At least to Jounouchi it was.

"I see even you can appreciate real music." Kaiba settled his hands onto his thighs and waited for Jounouchi to make his way over to him. He wouldn't get up from the bench to greet Jounouchi, and it was only normal that Jounouchi new that.

"I don't know about that, I was never into classical music," Jounouchi frowned, "Let's see, I know Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin…" He mumbled the last few names out before looking back at Kaiba earning him a disapproving look.

"Names are only for face value. Of course, I would hope that you already knew that." Kaiba smirked before motioning for Jounouchi to sit rather than to awkwardly stand, the blond blushing for the lack of mentality that Kaiba had seemed to push onto him. Though Kaiba honestly just didn't want Jounouchi looking down upon him, it was only for superiority complexes. He found those to be rather subconscious to his mind.

"Sorry for not studying classical music in my free time." A pout crossed Jounouchi's face as he situated himself on the hard piano bench. Kaiba took one of Jounouchi's hands and placed it on top of the black and white keys. A curious glance made it's way towards Kaiba.

Kaiba spoke, "Then would you like to try learning now?"

Jounouchi paused. He let Kaiba's hand linger a little longer before he casually slipped out from underneath his grasp. His hand still touched the piano, a sort of sensation pricking at his fingertips, "Teach me that song you were playing earlier."

Without a sound, Kaiba took a hold of Jounouchi's hand once more, "Play these keys here, and repeat this tune." He gently guided Jounouchi's fingers across a couple of keys, a simple melody ringing through their ears. Though somehow, Jounouchi's fingers seemed to look so much more fragile against the white notes than it did holding cards. And Kaiba wanted to just hold those fingers in between his, perhaps intertwine them and lock them against his own.

It wasn't long before a more extravagant tune made it's ways across the echoing room. Kaiba's own hands gliding across the row with a certain precision that seemed to lack in Jounouchi's own feeble attempt at playing even the easiest of tunes. Though it didn't seem to mind Jounouchi, as he took his hands off the unfamiliar territory, and let Kaiba bask in a radiance that outshined his flaws. It was in these moments that Jounouchi learned to respect Kaiba. Even if past mistakes had more than enough substance to allow Jounouchi to overlook these things.

These little things that seemingly seemed to matter more than anything else.

Jounouchi only let his eyes drift to a close, as he let the music sink deep into his mind, the waves of noise transmitted to his ear turning into a soothing melody. The only thing that made it better, was the fact that Kaiba was playing it for him. It didn't matter if it was half-hearted, or played in a sloppy manner, or if half of the notes that he were hitting were incorrect, Jounouchi wouldn't have known either way. If Kaiba was willing to take time to play him a song, let alone teach him, it was more than enough.

Though Jounouchi wouldn't admit it for the world, being the stubborn kind of person he was, learning from Kaiba first hand never seemed like a good idea. The only things he could have ever learned from before was having to taste that awful and somewhat, passionately, crushing defeat.

The music came to an abrupt halt, Kaiba lifiting his fingers off the keys his hand wavering between a note and the silence. Jounouchi opened his eyes, casting a glance towards Kaiba.

"Kaiba?"

Kaiba brought his right hand up to Jounouchi's mouth, silencing the words, and breath for the moment, "Shhhh."

Jounouchi kept his mouth shut, daring not to utter a word before Kaiba gave the "okay". It was almost captivating, the way the sun from behind the curtain poured itself from in between the folds and onto the piano, some of it lighting Kaiba's hair into a warm chocolate brown. He didn't know whether he should of shielded his eyes or not, but on a note that if he did, he wouldn't have been able to see such a view.

Somehow, Kaiba looked the most relaxed inside the silence that was made from the self control of his hands and himself.

"…Kaiba?"

"You obviously don't know when to speak and when not to."

Jounouchi could feel an outburst at the tip of his tounge, but decided to refrain from it, as if it would break the world they were enveloped in. So instead, softly and gently, he only spoke for an apology, "Er.. sorry."

Kaiba paused and thought if he should answer to that, but wondered all the same why he had to speak like he did all the time in front of Jounouchi. As if old habits didn't die hard enough.

Although Kaiba had a solution. Maybe not the most brilliant or tactful, but it was a plan. Even if failure was not a word etched inside Kaiba's dictionary, there seemed to be plenty of room for that in this. He twisted his body to face Jounouchi.

There was a shift on Jounouchi's side, a simple gesture of slight uneasiness. Since when did the silence begin to bother Jounouchi? He had thought it to be somewhat beautiful, that was, before Kaiba turned his gaze onto him.

And he didn't seem to care about the piano, or however talented Kaiba was at it anymore.

And why, he wondered, did he care about it at all in the first place.

Kaiba's eyes bore into Jounouchi's, as he leaned his body closer towards the blonde's. One hand touched Jounouchi's cheek gently, before sliding it back into his hair, still slightly cupping his flushed cheek. He could feel Jounouchi flinch, and watched as his gaze slowly dropped from his own. A tension strung itself in the air, like piano wires tightened from one end to the other. Almost fragile, yet being able to withstand the pangs and maybe, plucks from daring people. Kaiba decided he would pull against the strings some more.

Jounouchi panicked, a feeling starting to swell in his stomach, and his heart seemingly beating against the walls of his chest. Kaiba gripped part of his seat, anchoring him closer towards Jounouchi, faces now mere inches apart. He begun to whisper something, so close to Jounouchi's ear, that his breath was caught in places that invaded the personal space Jounouchi had once tried to create.

"Ahhh!" Jounouchi pushed down on the piano keys, using them as leverage to stand up, trying to distance himself from Kaiba. Instead, the two slightly winced at the jumbled sound of an angry piano, piercing the silence that was so eloquently made before.

And so the silence was, singlehandedly, broken by Jounouchi's clumsy hands.

Kaiba positioned himself back on his bench, deciding not to stare, for he would of broken into a fit of laughter if he had saw Jounouchi's embarrassed, and shocked face. "I wonder if you could compose music with that."

"…Shut up."

"No really, I like it."

"Shut up."

"It's very modern and… eccentric."

"…"

"Lively."

Kaiba held back his laughter, as Jounouchi took another, awkward, seat back down. He looked as if he had something to say, opening his mouth, only to close it, but in the end opened once more, "Can you just play your piano…"

His fingers touched the keys again, "Really…"

Jounouchi buried his head in his hands hoping not to hear anything else pertaining to himself.

A finger pushed a note then others joined in unison, and Kaiba spoke once more, "I like you."

Though Jounouchi only heard the piano, it's sweet melody ring through the air.

* * *

Thanks for always reading! School is starting, so I don't know how often I'll get to write! I'll try to when I have free time! Anyways thanks for reading, R&R~


	2. Baby Steps

AN: Um, thanks for waiting! This came out eventually! I feel like I'm losing sight of who Kaiba is, and making him too OOC. (I'm always thinking this... you can always ignore me on this). But to makes things simple, enjoy! That's all I can ask for.

11/05/09 **IMPORTANT**: I did revise chapter 1, because it just didn't feel right. I re-worked it, so feel free to read it again!

* * *

**Tuesdays**  
_Baby Steps (The Act of Forgiving and Letting Go)_

* * *

"So um, do you want to watch a movie or something?" Jounouchi asked, handing Kaiba a cup of coffee. The warm steam floated in the air, the scent of pure black coffee taking over his sense of smell. As inviting as it had been, Kaiba on the other hand wouldn't have been surprised if it was only coffee microwaved.

He took a sip, "Not really."

"Then… did you want to try dueling?" Kaiba only gave him a look.

"Er…" Jounouchi paused and looked towards Kaiba, a sort of confused and almost worried expression beginning to show on his face. He didn't know what else they could do. Being chased back to Jounouchi's place from the rain was not in any of their plans.

More specifically, Jounouchi's plans.

But it angered Kaiba, even if he didn't want to be, that he didn't even think of a backup plan in case of Jounouchi's many failures. How he coped with the simpleton this far was beyond even his comprehension.

Because Kaiba hated it when things never went by the book, and Jounouchi was the furthest from being labeled as one.

"We could play monopoly?"

Kaiba put on a bored look, "I think if I run a multi-billion dollar company, I can run a monopoly."

"Right, I forgot," He sighed, "Monopoly is boring with just two people…" Jounouchi sat down next to Kaiba, slightly easing his way into a spot already worn and now molded into the shape that Jounouchi preferred.

It quieted, only inside the room, that when they stopped talking, the echos of the rain pattering against the glass sliding door were the only noises, besides those transparent ones that always seem to be there.

The upstairs complex, footsteps from the little children running about, the next door neighbors, their voices that penetrate these paper thin walls, and Jounouchi, who sits unexpectedly quiet amidst the ruckus that he considers normal on a daily basis.

Though Kaiba only listens to Jounouchi's quiet breathing, in a certain rhythm that puts his mind at ease.

He once thought of buying Jounouchi his own place. Somewhere bigger and quieter, and maybe a place that accepted having limo's and fancy cars parked outside on the driveway. It was a thought that never went into play, because he knew Jounouchi would never have accepted it, rather, wouldn't have wanted it at all.

And he could hear Jounouchi's response inside his head, "Well then you shouldn't be driving any of those fancy cars around, rich boy."

His words ring true, but Kaiba can't help it. It baffles Jounouchi that it only takes one of Kaiba's cars to pay his rent for what could be the rest of his life. He's careful not to let the surprise show too much. And Kaiba pretends not to notice.

But Kaiba can see those things, the surprise and sometimes fear in Jounouchi's attempt at not caring, even if he does a damn good job of it. From Kaiba's view, he can label Jounouchi as a simple commoner, though he finds calling Jounouchi a commoner hard to swallow.

He could of in his younger years, he just doesn't know if he wants to now.

"You don't mind if I nap for a little bit, do you?" Jounouchi placed his mug onto the coffee table in front of him then slowly repositioned himself on the couch.

"I sometimes wish you had better manners."

"What do you mean?"

"You just don't seem to treat your guests very well." Kaiba placed his own mug onto the table, settled next to Jounouchi's.

"I don't really see you as my guest." Jounouchi scooted to one end of the couch, grabed a pillow and adjusted it accordingly to his own preference. Kaiba, at the other end of the couch merely raised an eyebrow in amusement.

"So now you lack the perceivance to see me as a human?" He could see Jounouchi shift somewhat uncomfortably, then pause.

"…Well from what I know, you didn't exactly see me as a human until some time ago." Kaiba could hear a rekindled spite play in Jounouchi's words, even though he knew arguments like these had long ago died along with their old selves.

Jounouchi started again, shoving his head deeper into the plush cotton pillow, "…but I forgive you for that." Kaiba stilled. It was in Jounouchi that Kaiba could find his own surprises and fears surfacing through his well known façade of cold expressions.

The room flooded with a silence, and the sound of Jounouchi's gentle breathing stood out noticeably against Kaiba's ears. But this time, his mind ran around in circles, a constant motion of fear and anxiety seemingly crawling up his neck. He didn't expect Jounouchi to be so forgiving.

In fact, even as time has passed by, those well known feelings still linger in their minds. Sometimes they thought, in those long passing hours of their life, how faint and in-significant it became. They just didn't know how badly it'd resurface after re-igniting the old flame, the flickering of the fire, every time a wound is stepped on.

Jounouchi found it easiest to just let things go at times. Calming the once ambitious teen into a more sophisticated man, he learned that there were always two sides to things, maybe even three. And with age, he noticed the easiest path was always easier (regardless of his own personal gain).

He also learned that being with Kaiba was not as hard as it seemed.

Kaiba looked over at Jounouchi, finding a peaceful expression slip across his face, "Jounouchi?"

There was no response on the other end, perhaps a sure notification of his departure into a land of dreams. But in case of inaccuracies, he tried once more, "Jounouchi?"

Finding no answer, Kaiba sighed. He began to reach over the other man, hand finding its way into Jounouchi's blonde locks. He paused before lifting himself up from the couch, one hand gripping the top edge of the sofa. There, he leaned towards Jounouchi, free hand still letting Jounouchi's hair slip through his fingers. His eyes lingered upon his face for the slightest, then descended closer to it, hair grazing the bridge of Jounouchi's nose.

To breathe in, to breathe out, Kaiba held many inconsistencies, the slight shudder of his breath, almost loud enough to wake the sleeping beauty. Although, making sure Jounouchi wasn't awake, he whispered into his ear, of almost no audible capacity, "Thank you."

And as if it hadn't happened, Kaiba stood up from the couch, picking up his now cold coffee to replace it with some seemingly old coffee. He'd remember to microwave it if he found it to be sitting in the pot cold and a day old. But he'll drink it nonetheless.

Jounouchi would rather sleep, or pretend to be for his convenience.

* * *

Thanks always for reading! I'm just waiting for winter break to come... already...


	3. Dreaming

AN: Wow this took forever! I had a constant on and off block of writing, and this really, literally, took months (and I know it's still pretty short). I'm also not too sure what to make of it, because I was aiming for this, but I got that. Overall, I'll say I'm pleased with it... for now. On another note, this has hardly any dialogue, if at all. I don't know what I was thinking, but like always, please enjoy.

* * *

**Tuesdays**  
_Dreaming (From My Voice to Your Voice)_

_

* * *

  
_

Sometimes Jounouchi can't tell whether he likes the summers almost sweltering rays beating down upon the small frame of this back, or the feeling of sitting soundly on the couch, living as a frozen statue from the AC turned on at full blast. Either way leaves his palms slightly sweaty, as he thinks about Kaiba, even if he doesn't want too.

But he can't help it, every time he closes his eyes, or even blinks for that matter (in those split second closures), that his mind is ultimately drawn to his image. And it would be that man's fault for leaving Jounouchi in this constant state of being here to being over there.

He wishes Kaiba would just leave his thoughts, to just leave him alone, because sometimes too much of him can drive Jounouchi insane. And he would think that every other sane human alive, that they too would understand that feeling, even if they've never experienced it. Although Jounouchi may have the upper hand in enduring everything that Kaiba is, only because hes probably been exposed to him more than the average human ever will. He credits Mokuba for being able to tolerate his older brother so well, and envies him all the same.

Though lately, his thoughts have been turning into mortifying things. He finds his thoughts turning inside out, and caring about the things he never used to care much about. Jounouchi has found himself relating much more to his sister, than he does to his best friend. But he knows that he is one hundred percent male, and he can prove it. It just bothers him that he feels so much more X chromosome than his Y all the time. Jounouchi has also noted that his sister influences him so much, that it shows without having to squint. It brings back some of his older memories, remembering the same actions from the girls he had previously dated. They were the ones that clung tightly onto his shirt, and excessively dialed his number.

But of course, Jounouchi doesn't cheat and he could also (almost) say the same for Kaiba. He dials his number for the third time that day, and is met with the pre-recorded voice of a woman who does not match the description of the owner of the phone. Though Jounouchi just assumes that Kaiba is busy, in a meeting or conference call with other big time national companies. He comes to the belief that Kaiba is too busy with his work to even think about having an affair, so it becomes easy for Jounouchi to monopolize his thoughts like this without having Kaiba knowing. Jounouchi just doesn't have to tell Kaiba anything.

He decides to leave a voice mail, "Sorry about the calls, I just wanted to talk to you today. Was a rough day for me, what about you? America still treating you well? …Call me back when you have the chance, see ya'" And the line disconnects, as Jounouchi closes his cell phone, and puts it on his bedside table. The phone is close enough to him, but not too close for it to seem desperate, even if nobody is watching him.

Jounouchi lies on his bed with the blankets thrown onto the floor. He finds it too hot to be waiting under the covers, and knows that the sleepless nights are relatively just as hot. There is hardly any room for him to move, the twin size bed allowing only enough space for him to lay perpendicular to the wall. It's cramped, and the phone has yet to ring.

He remembers the message he left on Kaiba's phone, fake and laced with an ulterior motive. But Jounouchi can't help it, for he longs for a sound to be connected on the other end besides the subtle toneless voice that he has come to memorize. The messages are lies that are fabricated through Jounouchi's selfish desires, but he doesn't mind, because in the end they have always tended to work. So he would like to think. The record time was less than five minutes after he had called. Kaiba is never supposed to call him at work, but he would think Mokuba always gets this priority. Jounouchi is not supposed to be priority.

The clock on the wall ticks in a different way that his phone changes numbers through the LCD screen. In fact, his clock is more than an hour ahead. He peers at his phone, then at the clock, and thinks about it for a moment before he decides to dramatically flip his body around turning away from his phone. Even Jounouchi doesn't understand why he doesn't just snap the thing in half. It would save him the trouble of having those dark circles appear beneath his eyes every morning.

There a breeze that floats into his room at this un-wanting hour, in between the night but still before the first peak of dawn. There are no covers that lay upon his body, so the wind touches his skin, with the barest of minimal touching. Jounouchi feels a chill, even though the hot air that has accumulated throughout the room keeps him from breathing. It suddenly reminds him of so many other things that, inevitably, he sinks into that cooling touch and drifts asleep.

He would like to NOT dream of Kaiba this time, because in reality, it's not all that hyped up as the girls would like to think about.

Kaiba on the other hand would rather call Jounouchi than listen to such formal talks, because even the most inattentive (like Jounouchi) could be able to feel the droning voices of those old enough to be his father. It's irritating how much more he could be doing than sitting in these conference rooms.

So Kaiba does as he usually does, and finishes the meeting in the split second it has taken him to conjure up his words. He slams his hand down on the table, cuts off the man speaking in slower words than the one who spoke before him, and finishes the meeting with awestruck attendees. Although some would criticize Kaiba, and others would want to kill Kaiba, there are more than enough respondents in the room to humbly nod, and acknowledge him. The meeting comes to an end, and he quickly packs up his briefcase, and walks out the door.

It is out of habit that Kaiba checks his cell phone after everything, and anything that he's done. This was mostly due to the fact that his baby brother could be in trouble, or more commonly in need of something or relaying information to him. Because to him, Mokuba will forever be his only little brother, and with that comes the protective, instinctual behavior tied through brotherhood.

He just hopes Mokuba doesn't mind that recently there has been an influx of calls from a man named "Jounouchi".

Kaiba opens his cell, and smirks. It's a playful smirk at best, because he knows there's so much more to make fun about this than there is to genuinely smile about. He looks at the screen as it notes that he's missed three calls. And it just so happens that those three calls are from Jounouchi.

A soft sigh reaches Kaiba's lips when he sees a small blinking light occurring at the top of his cell. He's got voicemail, and this perks his curiosity. So with a push of a button, he is redirected to his inbox.

"_Sorry about the calls…" _Kaiba snorts. He won't fall for the same trick twice. Last time he had hastily called back Jounouchi, in fears that the man was in trouble like he always was. Although in the end, it all amounted to Jounouchi being bored out of his mind. It bothered Kaiba, how readily and willingly he was to phone him.

There is a moment of contemplation, as Kaiba flips his phone shut, and proceeds to his car. The time difference is too great for Kaiba to even think about calling, but it's not as if he wanted to in the first place. But he thinks about calling, because just hearing Jounouchi's voice makes him want to go back to Domino. It only reminds him, because Jounouchi alone is not enough to drag him back home. It never was, and most likely never will be, and Kaiba would rather not be on such a tight leash.

Or be on a leash for that matter. He won't let Jounouchi control him.

Although, his fingers itch to pull his cell phone back out, whip it open, and dial his number. So Kaiba's behavior is contradicted when he does and presses the call button on his phone. He lets it ring, and in this moment where the silence is met with the perfect coordination of those beats, he forgets to think of the consequences.

It rings twice before he hears the sound of a voice fresh from awakening on the other line, irritated.

But Kaiba only listens to the ranting voice he's come to know so well, forgets his time and place, and begins to dream of Domino.

* * *

Thank you so much for reading, and sticking with me! And thank you to all the reviewers, and your help, your encouragement is most appreciated! It's what keeps me going, lol.

More Tuesdays hopefully will appear sooner than this one did...


End file.
